The penultimate episode of Game of Thrones was one filled with death. We lost some characters we love, a whole lot of King's Landing citizens and at least one person we love to hate. Euron Greyjoy finally met his end after a brutal fight with Jaime Lannister. Though he died, he went out with his trademark sadistic smile proclaiming himself the man who killed the Kingslayer. A fittingly arrogant end to the character.
Euron has certainly been a memorable villain for the past few seasons, though some find him to be too cartoonish for the show. Book readers are especially disappointed for how the character was adapted as he differs quite a bit from the source material. So as we bid farewell to Euron Greyjoy, have a look at some of the ways the character was changed from the books.
10. His Appearance
Euron's look in the show went through a drastic change over a couple of seasons. He was introduced as a dirty, unkempt pirate who resembled many of the other rough Iron Islanders. However, when he reappeared the next season, he had a makeover, looking more like a emo rockstar. Neither look is particularly close to his appearance in the books.
He is described as a pale man with long dark hair and a dark beard. The most glaring difference is that fact that Euron in the book wears an eye patch, earning him the nickname Crow's Eye.
9. His Brothers
As far as the show has confirmed, Euron is the only brother of Balon Greyjoy and thus has only Yara to contend with when Salt Throne becomes available. However, the Greyjoy family is much larger in the books with two more of Balon's brothers, Victarion and Aeron, playing big roles.
Victarion is one of the greatest warriors in the Iron Islands while Aeron has devoted his life to serving the Drowned God. Both share a hatred for Euron going back many years and when he is named king of the Iron Islands, both brothers conspire against him. While Aeron is in the show, nothing is made of their relationship.
8. His Exile
When Euron suddenly appears in Season 6, it is explained that he has been living in exile for a number of years. Similarly, Euron doesn't appear in the books until the fourth novel due to his exile. On the show, Euron says he was sent away because his rebellion against the Iron Throne failed. The explanation in the book is far more disturbing.
Balon exiles Euron for raping Victarion's "salt wife", impregnating her. Victarion sees this as an unforgivable insult and kills the woman in response. It is also implied that Euron used to molest Aeron when they were younger which could also have led to his dismissal.
7. Black Magic
While living many years in exile, Euron claims to have visited parts of the world that few people have ever visited. He says he's sailed to Asshai, the Smoking Sea and even the ruins of Valyria. In his travels, Euron developed an obsession with black magic, something never mentioned in the show.
He claims to have learned supernatural things from all over the world. He indulges in "shade of the evening", the same strange substance the warlocks of Qarth drink. Like the warlocks, Euron's lips have turned blue from his addiction to it. It is also whispered that Euron's hidden eye has supernatural abilities.
6. The Pirate Life
It seems like you could dedicate an entire spin-off series to Euron's adventures as the most feared pirate on the seas. While those exploits aren't really discussed on the show, the books make them out to be absolutely brutal. His massive ship, Silence, is a sign of terror on the water.
Euron is a man driven by insanity, not greed, Therefore, when he pillages other ships, he never takes anything for himself. The only things he seems interested in are those rare artifacts rumored to have mystic powers.
5. His Invasion Of Westeros
One of the gripes book readers have had with the show's depiction of Euron is that this man who is possibly the most evil person in this world is made to be a lackey for Cersei. Most of his time on the show has been doing things for Cersei and getting rejected (except once!) by Cersei. In the books, he's much more interested in ruling himself.
Where the books last left Euron, he was leading the Iron Fleet in several attacks throughout Westeros, including The Reach. He also sent Victarion to secure Daenerys as his queen. Although considering he doesn't actually trust his brother, it's likely Euron has other, darker plans.
4. Very Special Armor
While fans still eagerly anticipate the release of The Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the series, several sample chapters have been released. One of those chapters is told from Aeron Greyjoy's perspective and suggests Euron might be a much bigger threat than anyone realized. It also showed Euron was in possession of a very unique artifact.
As he prepares for battle, Euron dons a suit of Valyrian steel armor. It is unclear what this armor could mean, but likely it would be a useful tool against the White Walkers. However, the more concerning question is how Euron came to possess such an item.
3. He Had A Dragon Egg
As impressive as Valyrian steel armor is, that isn't even Euron's best collector's item. He seems to have a knack for finding the most rare objects in the world, and he has a special obsession with dragons. At one time, it was even said that Euron himself possessed a dragon egg.
Though Daenerys was given three eggs as a wedding gift, we don't hear of any other known eggs in the world. Apparently, Euron was able to track one down. However, when he was in a bad mood one day, he threw the egg into the ocean. Some have theorized that egg will appear again.
2. Psychological Terror
In the show, Euron is shown to be a skilled fighter. He bested two of the Sandsnakes as well as Jaime Lannister (although we'll call that one a draw). While the books version of Euron is no slouch when it comes to battle, he seems much more interested in psychological warfare.
As insane as he is, Euron does have a keen talent for finding ways to exploit people. His methods of torture are not always violent, but perhaps even more damaging, breaking even the strongest wills. This has many fans worried for which of their favorite characters will inevitably be taken by him.
1. Dragonbinder
The show has tried to establish Euron as a major threat, but he mostly comes off as an annoyance. However, he is the only person on the show that can say they have killed a dragon. The books have suggested Euron is a much bigger player than the show would have you believe, especially as he appears to have found the Dragonbinder horn.
Dragonbinder is an ancient horn that is said to control dragons. It could be that Euron isn't the one to kill one of Daenerys' dragons but rather he takes one from her. This would be a major departure from what we've seen in the show, but it would make Euron a much more dangerous man.